Hamilton Blues Lovers: Big Walter Horton's 100th Birthday

Monday, April 5, 2021

Big Walter Horton's 100th Birthday

Today (April 6, 2021) would have been American Blues legend Big Walter Horton's (aka Mumbles and Shakey) 100th birthday.

Biography highlights (from Wikipedia)

Born in Horn Lake, Mississippi (April 6, 1921 but sources differ)
First recordings were backing up Little Buddy Doyle (1930's)
Replaced Junior Wells in the Muddy Waters Band for short period (1953)
Played harmonica on Mean Mistreater for Johnny Winter's self-titled album (April 1969)
Performed on Fleetwood Mac's Then Play On album (uncredited) (September 1969) In Chicago (December 1969)
Backed up John Lee Hooker in the Blues Brothers film (1980).
Died (December 8, 1981)
Inducted in to the Blues Hall of Fame (1982)

Comments from local musicians

Sam De Rosa aka Sweet Sammy D

I have been stealing his licks since day one. Big Walter was the author of signature licks we all tried to emulate and still are.

Lester Smith

Big Walter had monster tone and power. His solo in Jimmy Rogers Walking by Myself is one of the most iconic and skillful in blues history.

Corey Lueck (Smoke Wagon Blues Band)

To this day, Shakey is one of those essential harp players that well; make your head shake! And your feet stomp! It blows my mind how comfortable and big his sound always was in both first or second position. Not hard not to understand why Willie Dixon always said he was the best harp player ever.

Michael Reed aka Shrimp Daddy

Big Walter “Shakey” Horton... he hated that moniker... Big Walter was the proof that gear like Mics and Amps are not what create great tone. When asked how he gets his sound Walter said “I get my tone from my hands. A true master of the Harmonica Big Walter had the biggest tone and was an amazing player .

Jay Kipps

Big Walter / Shakey, could channel the sound of a full horn section thru his harmonica. First time I heard him I remember I threw my hands in the air and cheered like I scored a goal, he opened my mind to what you can do with this great little instrument. What a gift to us all he was.